Labour Friends of Israel
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    • Laying the Foundations for a Two-State Solution
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Iran

For several years, LFI has warned about the activities and agenda of the Islamic Republic of Iran which not only poses an existential threat to Israel, but also a substantial threat to Britain. 

 

Iran is a hugely destabilising force in the Middle East. Ayatollah Khomeini’s Islamic revolution was never designed to be confined to within Iran’s borders. Thus, with financial assistance, guidance and training provided by the regime’s ideological warriors, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Tehran has established and commands a broad network of Shia militant proxy armies and terror groups, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis. Iran’s strategic goal is the completion of an “arc of influence” – a land bridge connecting Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea and the Israeli border. The completion of the land link would allow for the free flow of arms, soldiers and oil from Hezbollah in the Golan to Iran, via Syria and Assadist forces and Shia-controlled Iraq. 

 

Alongside its proxy armies, Tehran has a burgeoning ballistic missile arsenal and appears to be actively pursuing a nuclear weapons programme with repeated and continual breaches of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action. These developments are concerning not simply because Iran has the Middle East’s largest and most diverse missile arsenal, with a range of up to 2,000km but because of its status as the only country that openly calls for the annihilation of another state.  

 

The regime’s pernicious activities overseas are matched by a malign record at home. Over the past four decades, Iran’s human rights record has consistently been one of the worst in the world. Dissent is rarely tolerated and ruthlessly put down. In the protests and clampdown which followed the death at the hands of the “morality police” of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022, approximately 500 protesters, including at least 68 children, were killed by the security forces and almost 20,000 people were arrested. In 2023, Iran executed over 700 people – a significant increase on 2022 – with the widespread use of torture; severe restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly and the rights of women; and the targeting of human rights and union activists, lawyers, journalists, students and minorities, including the LGBTQ+ community and religious minorities. 

 

LFI has led the way in calling for the British government to proscribe the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. Labour supports proscription, and set out the legislative changes necessary to make it happen. Outlining his decision, the shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy stated: “The Iranian regime’s actions against courageous protestors seeking a better future, as well as British nationals imprisoned in Iran and its threats to UK security mean robust action is needed now. The IRGC is behaving like a terrorist organisation and must now be proscribed as such.” Labour reiterated its commitment to proscribe the IRGC at LFI’s 2023 annual lunch. 

 

LFI previously played a leading role in the effort to persuade the British government to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety in the UK, with our former chair, Joan Ryan, at the forefront of parliamentary efforts. This work came to fruition in January 2019, when the government agreed that there was no meaningful distinction between Hezbollah’s political and military wings and proscribed the former. Another former chair, Dame Louise Ellman, repeatedly highlighted – and called for an end to – protestors parading Hezbollah flags at the annual Al-Quds Day march in London. 

 

LFI also works to highlight the danger posed by Iran’s ballistic missile programme. As Michael Herzog, former head of the IDF’s strategic planning and now Israel’s ambassador to the United States, argued in LFI’s publication on Iran, “missiles would serve as the main delivery system for a nuclear weapon. At the same time, missiles, rockets and, increasingly, armed drones are proliferated by Iran as a central tool in its regional power projection.” 

 

Our chair, Steve McCabe MP, led calls for the British government to act before the Iranian missile ban lapsed, as well as raising concerns about the expiry of sanctions covering Tehran’s ballistic missile programme. 

 

LFI has exposed Iran’s appalling human rights record and the past failures of the government to impose Magnitsky sanctions – which are designed to promote human rights and punish corruption. We were pleased that David Lammy has echoed our calls for employing such sanctions.  

LFI at JLM one-day conference 2024

LFI had a major presence at today’s Jewish Labour Movement one-day conference in north London, including a stall and several sessions on issues relating to Israel and the wider Middle East. The day began with an event on the future of the Israeli left, chaired by former LFI chair Louise Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 1 year14 January, 2024 ago

LFI vice-chair Sharon Hodgson: Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war must be condemned

LFI vice-chair Sharon Hodgson has written the below article for Politics Home. Click here to read the original. The voices of women in war have long been silenced. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. Amid the multiple atrocities of Hamas’ Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 1 year21 December, 2023 ago

Labour MPs push government for action on Iran at Foreign Office Questions

At today’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Questions session, two Labour MPs pushed the government for tougher action against the Iranian regime, in light of its support for the Hamas terror group in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. LFI parliamentary supporter Chris Bryant MP asked: “I agree with the comments made Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 1 year12 December, 2023 ago

LFI vice-chair Christian Wakeford: “Hamas do not care about peace”

At Monday’s Westminster Hall Debate, on three e-petitions relating to Israel and Palestine, Labour Opposition Whip, Christian Wakeford, stated that he supports increased humanitarian aid into Gaza, including “fuel, electricity and food” supplies, but currently sees a permanent ceasefire with Hamas as impossible, owing to the last pause that “broke Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 1 year11 December, 2023 ago

LFI chair Steve McCabe’s speech to LFI’s 2023 Annual Lunch

*** Check against delivery ***    Chief Rabbi, Ambassador Hotovely, friends.       It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Labour Friends of Israel Annual Lunch.      And a warm welcome to our friends from the Abraham Accords countries.      LFI’s work is more vital than ever, and the Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years28 November, 2023 ago

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s speech to LFI’s 2023 Annual Lunch

*** Check against delivery ***    Thank yous    Thank you,     Chief Rabbi, Ambassador, friends… some of you old friends.     Sir David Garrard for the wonderful introduction.  Isaac Kaye.  Adrian Cohen.  Steve McCabe for your advice and support.    Tom Murray, Thomas Webster, Tina Bhartwas, Sam Rubens     Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years28 November, 2023 ago

Lammy recalls “day of horror” in address to LFI annual lunch

David Lammy today used the LFI annual lunch to underline Labour’s commitment to Israel and set out a series of measures the party would take in government to support a renewed drive to kick-start the Middle East peace process. The shadow foreign secretary was addressing the biggest LFI lunch since Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years28 November, 2023 ago

Louise Ellman: Why is Hamas’s sexual violence of October 7th being ignored?

LFI board member Louise Ellman has written the below article for Progressive Britain. Click here to read the original. The UN’s International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls on 25 November is a time to face reality: the atrocities of Hamas gunmen in on October 7 included the widespread Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years25 November, 2023 ago

LFI director: Even at this dark time, we must look to the future

LFI director Michael Rubin has written the below article for the Jewish Chronicle. Click here to read the original. The fury and rage of the anti-Israel protesters who took to the streets of London again this weekend should not be confused with a mass movement with strong public backing. In its Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years10 November, 2023 ago

LFI director: Gaza After Hamas: How to Win the Peace

LFI director Michael Rubin has written the below article for Fathom Journal. Click here to read the original. Decent people of all political parties, all faiths, and all nationalities are united in their outrage at the actions of Hamas. We rightly share solidarity with the people of Israel, are horrified by Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years3 November, 2023 ago

Analysis: Israel prepares for major ground operation

Latest developments Nearly three weeks after a savage Hamas terror attack left at least 1,400 people murdered, more than 5,000 wounded, and at least 220 abducted, Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip is continuing with intensive bombing of Hamas targets from the air, and forces ready for a Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years27 October, 2023 ago

LFI chair: Backing an Israel-Hamas ceasefire now would be a recipe for endless war

LFI chair Steve McCabe MP has written the below article for LabourList. Click here to read the original. Some calls for a ceasefire in Gaza are understandable and I share the sentiment that lies behind them. Witnessing the dire humanitarian situation on our TV screens is heartbreaking. That’s why Labour Friends of Israel has Read more…

By lfiIsrael, 2 years27 October, 2023 ago

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